Hong Kong is voting in the first election since Beijing amended the laws to reduce the number of directly elected lawmakers and vet candidates to ensure that only those loyal to China can run. A national security law has silenced most of the opposition.
The semi-autonomous territory was rocked by pro-democracy protests in 2014 and 2019, but they were crushed by security forces, followed by the imposition of a sweeping national security law that silenced most of the city’s opposition activists and led others to flee abroad.
Low turnout was widely expected, with the latest survey by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute finding that 39% of respondents indicated that they are unlikely to vote.Some 4.4 million residents are eligible to vote. The elections were originally scheduled to take place in September last year, but were postponed with authorities citing public health risks due to the pandemic.
“Casting your vote for HK — our Home! LegCo Election is important to you and HK’s future!” the message read, referring to the Legislative Council.
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